Guardiola named Barclays Manager of the Month

Manchester City star striker Sergio Aguero is pushing for inclusion in the Citizens squad to face Stoke City on Saturday in what would be a surprise early return from the rib injury the striker suffered in a auto crash less than two weeks ago. The only problem we have - a big, big problem we have - is Mendy, six months out. We will see about January. We're going to suffer in this situation, even though we have Fabian (Delph), Danilo, (Oleksandr) Zinchenko.

Aguero needs one goal to equal Eric Brook's all-time City goalscoring record of 177, which has stood since 1939.

The crash happened when the striker was on his way to the city's airport to fly back to Manchester after attending Colombia singer Maluma's concert on his day off. "Mendy was and is so important for us and unfortunately six months a long time".

"Then one thinks 'why did I [go]', but it's hard to imagine that something like that could happen".

Meanwhile, Guardiola admitted Vincent Kompany still isn't fit enough to make his return to the side.

That outstanding set of results were good enough for Guardiola to get the Manager of the Month nod ahead of fellow nominees Jose Mourinho (Manchester United), Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham) and Arsene Wenger (Arsenal). "He'll notice how he feels and when he'll be able". "We are in October".

The Citizens are unbeaten in their last 19 matches in all competitions and they are now sitting top of the Premier League standings following a run of five-successive top-flight wins. When they need the long balls, Crouch is unstoppable in the air. "It'll be a tough game".